ALBANY – Major League Baseball is investigating whether Hall of Fame slugger Reggie Jackson’s involvement with a new online casino violates any league rules.

The former Yankee – who is on the team’s payroll – is being paid by two companies operating out of Costa Rica to lend his name and picture to an online casino that offers blackjack, roulette, slots and other gambling games.

“We recently heard about this, and are looking into it,” MLB spokesman Richard Levin said yesterday.

Baseball prohibits its employees from having any “direct links” to gambling operations, Levin said.

“The online [industry] provides a new set of problems,” Levin said. “We want to know more about this – what it is, what’s his involvement.”

Jackson, 54, lives in California but is a special assistant to the Yankees. According to Jackson’s representatives and the site itself, the man known as “Mr. October” for his postseason heroics neither owns nor operates the Internet casino.

Fans visiting reggiejacksoncasino.com are greeted by a picture of Jackson swinging a bat and wearing what appear to be Yankee pinstripes. The picture appears behind a blackjack table.

The Yankee logo is not visible in the picture.

Jackson, who is recuperating from recent back surgery, could not be reached for comment.

Jackson’s agent, Matt Merola, said his client would abide by whatever baseball officials decide, even if it means withdrawing from his online-casino commitment.

“His first priority is baseball,” Merola said.

Jackson’s lawyer, Edward Blum, said that before entering into the deal, Jackson insisted the online casino not offer sports betting.

There also is a clause that requires the site to close if Congress outlaws online gambling, he said.

Baseball has always taken a dim view on gambling.

Two of the game’s biggest stars, Willie Mays and Mickey Mantle, were once banned from baseball after being employed by Atlantic City casinos as greeters. Both were eventually reinstated to the game after it was determined they were not directly involved in the betting.

Blum says Jackson’s involvement with the online site is far less hands-on than Mays and Mantle serving as greeters at actual casinos.

In his 21-season career, Jackson won two World Series with the Yankees and three with the Oakland Athletics.